Throne of Chains
by flustered dreams
Summary: Keefe Sencen and his conroi of knights loyally serve under the reign of King Fintan. And when news of a bloodthirsty queen travels across the realms, they are sent on an assassination mission. Fail to succeed, and they die.
1. Chapter 1

KEEFE SENCEN knew one thing was very clear.

He only had his friends in his life. Or, perhaps, they should only professionally be called his conroi. Though it was true that he didn't know where the others' hearts lay, he knew he cared for them more than any normal knight would care for any of his fellow brothers. Sure, they used that word left and right - brothers - but he'd seen so many other knights on the royal guard leave another for dead when they had a very clear chance at saving a life all while keeping their own.

Keefe was aware that emotion was not a tool necessary for the battlefield and it was definitely something that could end up getting him killed - but he couldn't exactly turn off his feelings. Not like the way he'd turned off the ones for his parents.

Or, maybe they'd just never been there.

Walking into the throne room of the royal palace, sword gleaming in the halter at his waist, metal armor clanking as he walked in perfect sync with his four faithful friends at his sides, he knew that this was a momentous time in their lives. And also nerve-wracking. His heart was pounding in his chest as he got down on one knee, dipped his head in the mandatory bow, showing his respect as he faced the king. He didn't have any clue as to why they had all been called there, but it was a meeting they were obligated by law to attend.

Fintan sat on his jewel-encrusted thrown as always, the thin line of his lips tugged into some sort of smirk. He always wore the same face, no matter where he went or what he attended to. It was as if he had a permanent mask sewn over his literal flesh.

Fintan, never one for formalities, did not properly address the knights. Keefe and the rest stood up, almost in perfect unison, waiting for Fintan to explain why they had been called. It was the same odd ritual anytime they were called to the throne room. Fintan, for all his brains and good attention he paid to his allies and people, was known for his theatrics. Many found it odd that a king would ever act in such a manner, but others believed it intruiged other realms. And some believed that it made them think of the kingdom as a fool.

Dramatically, with a flourish of his hands which were covered in rings with thick gems,mFintan tugged his smile into something more bright. "You must be wondering why I sent for you."

It wasn't clear why he acted the way he did. Most said it was the power getting to his head, whereas others spread rumours that he was, in some way, mentally unwell. Doctors had examined the man, though, and nothing was diagnosed. He was a perfectly healthy man with perfectly unhealthy behaviors.

"Yes, sire," Keefe answered respectably. Fitzroy, who was to his left, made the risky decision to flicker his gaze over to Keefe. They were supposed to keep their eyes forward, but Fitz had obviously needed to lock eyes with Keefe, just to ensure he knew that he wasn't the only one getting uneasy. There was tension in the room, but they couldn't tell why. Having only been there for a minute or two, it didn't seem right for it to feel as if they were walking on eggshells.

Fitz's eyes were filled with something that made Keefe's stomach twist sour, and they both turned their eyes forward quickly, silently agreeing that the feeling was mutual.

Fintan rose off his throne, his robes swishing at his feet, as he folded his hands in front of him. He began stepping off the dial, walking down the stairs and approaching the four knights. Dex, Keefe, Tam, and Fitz stayed unmoving, their feet stanced shoulder-width apart, hands crossed in front of them.

Fintan looked each one of them up and down, walking around them in a circle leizurely. He looked calm as he did so, as if he did this everyday like an animal stalking his prey. Keefe knew Fintan wasn't one to be afraid of - the kind had, in fact, been rather lenient all his life. Some had said he was too lenient, letting the other rulers push him around. So, Keefe was not at all afraid of the king's power. Whatever this man had in mind, as long as he didn't push too far, nothing was going to happen. But it was still terrifying to have to sit there as he paced around them.

Keefe had only ever been called near the king's presence once before this and that was for when he was earning his knighthood. After that, it was daily patrolling out in the courtyard - he'd never really interacted with the king.

Fitzroy had done so many times. He was one of the few who got to work within the walls of the king's castle and Keefe was, by far, immensely jealous of the position his friend held. He'd wanted it for himself, wanted so hard to proe to his parents what he could really do. So he'd put himself to great use, trying to work his way up in the ranks. Progress had been slow.

Until now. Whatever this was.

"I've been studying you," the king finally announced, retreating back to his throne casually, evidently done with inspecting them. Relieved, Keefe let out the air he'd been holding in his lungs, his chest de-puffing out. Tam had the audacity to shoot a smirk sideways at him. "And I've seen the way you all work well with another. I believe, if placed in the same environment, you could achieve wondrous feats."

Keefe's heart dropped at the sentence. He felt like he knew where this was headed. There had been talk of a war, floating around the city limits like the morning fog, and it had never really occured to him that he'd have to fight in such a thing.

Yes, he was a knight. Yes, he wanted to protect and serve his king and his people. But up until now, he had practically been a townsfolk with shiny, metal clothes. All he did was walk around the market place and ensure that no fights broke out. He'd dealt with a few brawls here and there, but his only real combat had ever really been during Training, with his mentor and his three friends.

"I have a mission for you," Fintan concluded, "and it is mandatory. Fail to succeed, and you shall pay me with your lives." He smiled ruefully, enjoying the way they knights shifted uncomfortably. "You must prioritize to keeping this classified. No one must know what is happening. Your absences with be dealt with according - no one will notice, I can assure. You have been selected for that specific reason, so do not make me regret sending you four."

They all squirmed internally, barely unsure whether or not they were hearing the words correctly. The way he phrased everything and gave his orders was so obscure and odd that it made no sense. He delivered things in such an out-of-order formality, as if to confuse the listener.

_Why not tell us what we're doing before threatening us with our lives?_

Fintan turned his back to them, staring up at the tapestry hanging on the wall. "There is a queen in the distant east. I believe she is hiding somewhere in the Forbidden Isles, off in the Eastern Sea." He turned back to them again, his smile still held perfectly on his face. "I need you to assasinate her."

Keefe's eyebrow twitched up and he quickly put it back down, trying not to let his face falter. He was being sent to assassinate someone? With a team of people he never really worked with? And how had Fintan found out they were friends? Perhaps he had seen them training with one another? Talking?

"She governs a group of horrifying people, just as cruel as herself. She is threatening war upon our kingdom and I cannot draft our children out to the battlefield. If you fail, you will not only be failing yourselves, but our entire realm." Fintan's smile had dropped during that, sombering. It was the only time Keefe had seen him without it, and it made his heart fall at his feet.

Fintan flicked his gaze to the huge doors behind them, dipping his chin. "We will discuss further morrow. For now, you are dismissed."


	2. Chapter 2

"I GET IT, NOW."

Keefe looked up, staring at Dex past the brim of his mug, sipping the amber liquid sloshing inside. His eyebrow quirked up curiously, just returning to the conversation after his daydreaming.

How was he supposed to assassinate some insane, bloodthirsty queen with only three other knights? How would they infiltrate her castle? Fintan barely even had a clue of where her exact location was. He just rendered it would be off somewhere on the Forbidden Isles - which were called the Forbidden Isles for a very good reason, might he add.

Townsfolk told stories of the ancient land to people on the streets at night, beckoning them closer around the light of torches or a burning fire. They'd whisper of magic that once ran through the roots of the land, seeping into the ocean and reefs around, making everything gleam with life.

But then the humans arrived.

As usual, any story involving a human ended with mass destruction. The group of shipwrecked sailors and passengers had established a village over the years, repopulating and tilling the ground to create a harvest. In doing so, they discovered the magic the islands posessed.

No one is really sure of what happens next. It's told different by every person you ask. But one thing is for certain - the people went mad. Lusting after the power, it consumed them, taking over their minds and turning them against their own blood. The magic of the island turned dark after the human interaction.

And the Islands were banned from any further exploration. If you so much as step foot on the soil of those lands, you would be punished greatly.

Some people had tried. Some thought they could undo the sort of curse upon the land, rewrite history and make the magic light again, but in doing so, they were caught breaking the law and were exiled to live on the cursed land for the rest of their lives.

They weren't the only ones exiled, though. Witches, murderers, the insane - they were all sent to the Island. And Keefe really hoped they had long since passed.

Though, Keefe assumed their lives had probably not been very long or fulfilling, if - according to what the stories were saying - was true.

And, now, with his conroi leaving with full clearance from the king himself to that very island, he didn't know how to feel. Would they go insane? Try to kill all each other? Would the queen kill them first? Would she be able to sense them the moment their feet hit the sand of her domain?

"Get what?" Fitz asked, snapping Keefe out of it again. He had to stop with this worrying. They were going tomorrow at dawn and he needed to focus on getting wasted so he could throw up and pass out.

"Why they say he's mental," Dexter replied flatly.

Tam backhanded Dex over the head, eliciting a few chuckles from the rest of the group, but a sharp intake of breath from Dex. Dex narrowed his eyes to slits. "What the hell?"

"Calm down," Tam began. "I'm simply saving you from a situation you won't enjoy."

"Lèse-majesté," Fitz recited the name of the rule against insulting the king, his accent rolling off his tongue. He took a sip of whatever was in his cup, waving his hands almost mockingly, like he didn't agree with the rule. Keefe rose an eyebrow, wondering why he thought it was such a bad thing. It was just to stop discourse in the streets. Besides, any kingdom had that rule. You respected the rulers, no matter how terribly they disrespected you.

_Or maybe I'm being too much of a suck-up just to prove my parents wrong. Fuck_.

"He's not going to do anything to us," Keefe concluded, drawing the others' eyes to him. "He needs us. Made that very clear."

"I think it's very clear that he could replace us anytime he wants."

Fitzroy shook his head, pushing his mug into the middle of the table, leaning back in his chair. There was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, which he wiped off with the back of his hand. Keefe was sure his own face was just as drenched, because his body sure was. It was summer, and it was night, but it did not grow cool. Especially not indoors, with the fire burning to keep light around to chase away the shadows, and the bodies of other people filing through the cozy space.

Keefe looked over to the bar, at the people sitting on the stools and shuffling a deck of cards. A few of their eyes had been focused on them, but they averted their gaze the moment Keefe looked their way. He was aware it probably wasn't exciting to see the king's knights inside the restaurant, but they didn't care. They didn't have much of a choice - Tam had dragged them all in there.

"You guys need to loosen up," he'd said. "Get some drinks, pass out, and shut up. Get your rest for once." And with a few claps on the back, they'd all groaned, but had followed willingly. Keefe knew he was probably right, anyway. Everything was stressing him out too much and this was the last night they'd get good food and drinks for awhile. After tonight, they'd be on the road, off to some distant land to kill a queen.

Nice.


End file.
